Method of and device for shaping shoe uppers



y 7, 1938. w. KURTING 2,117,732

METHOD OF AND DEVICE FOR SHAPING SHOE UPPERS Filed July 23, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2. F163.

w. KGRTING May 17, 1938.

ERS

METHOD OF AND DEVICE FOR SHAPING SHOE UP Filed July 25, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jnv n 2 0 r.

Patented May 17, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Walter Kiirting, Landsberg (War-the) Germany, assignor to Horst Gemeinert, Seitersdorf, near Sorau, Germany Application July 23, 1937, Serial No. 155,280

, In Germany June 15, 1936 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and de vice for shaping shoe uppers, its object being to produce the shaped upper from a blank which, with the exception of a small marginal excess of material at the toe'portion, has the exact size of the finished article.

With this object in view the invention consists essentially in firmly clamping the sides of the exactly dimensioned portion of such blank so as to prevent deformation thereof, clamping the margin of the toe portion yieldingly while said latter portion is being pressed into the required shape, and subsequently trimming said toe portion to size.

The device employed for carrying out this method comprises a female die to which a clamping plate is hinged for securing the blank to the die during the shaping process, the yielding clamping effect on the margin of the toe portion being obtained by means of a frame which is hinged to said plate and provided with a handle for manual operation.

Fig. l of the accompanying drawings represents a plan view of the female die and its clamping elements together with the shaped upper,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof,

Fig. 3 is a section of the male die,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the upper fitted in a template for trimming the toe portion,

Fig. 5 is a side view of the shaped upper,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blank,

Fig. '7 is a plan view of the template,

Fig. 8 is a side view of the clamping member for the template,

Fig. 9 is a plan view of said member,

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the complete shaping press, and

Fig. 11 is a view showing the press elements in their operative positions.

For shaping the upper a female die a is used which is hollowed out according to the desired shape of the upper. The blank d is supported on the sides of the die and on a bridge i beyond which the toe portion of the blank is depressed by the male die 6 (Fig. 3) to form the dome g. A clamping plate b is provided which is connected by hinges m to the rear portion of the die and adapted to clamp the sides of the blank to the die so as to prevent deformation thereof while the dome g is being formed. The plate b, which is slotted to admit the male die, does not extend over the toe portion of the blank which is held down yieldingly by a frame 0 adapted to engage the margin ,1 of said portion. The frame 0 is hinged at'n to strips p which are secured by screws 0 or the like to the plate 2). A handle it is connected to the frame 0 for the manual operation of the latter. The male die e is fitted with an electric heating element I so that it can be heated for facilitating the shaping process.

Except for a marginal excess of material at the toe portion of the blank, the latter is cut to the exact size of the required upper. The exactly dimensioned portion of the blank is maintained by the clamping plate I) in its original size during the shaping operation, while the toe portion of the blank is given an opportunity to slip from under the clamping frame 0 as the dome g is being formed. The extent of the slip is regulated manually by means of the handle is according to feel and according to the nature of the material. Any excess of material left at th\ edge I after the shaping of the upper, is subsequently trimmed oil". The trimming of the edge 1 is done by the aid of a template h which is provided with, an aperture q for the reception of the dome g. The upper is positioned in the template by means of a clamping member comprising a block q which is adapted to enter the dome g, and which has a tail piece r fitted with a lug s adapted to enter a slot in a tongue formed on the template, as shown in Fig. 'l.

A suitable press for use in shaping the upper, is illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11. This press comprises a stand I to which the die a is secured. The die e is connected by means of a spring to a thrust bearing 8 to a screw spindle 4. The latter engages in a bridge 3 which is carried on the stand I by means of two supporting rods 2. A guide 'arm secured to the die e engages a bracket ID on the stand and prevents the die from rotating together with the screw spindle. The clamping plate b is connected by a rod or rods 5 to a treadle 6 whereby it is operated in opposition to a spring H. A slotted link 1 forms a connection between the plate b and the die e and causes the plate to occupy a tilted position, as shown in Fig. 10 with raised die. A catch 9 on the die 2 is adapted to engage a bracket l2 on the bridge 3 for maintaining the die normally in its raised position.

The operation is as follows:

Fig. 10 shows the elements in position to receivethe blank (2 which is placed in position on the die a. Thereupon the catch 9 is released from the bracket l2, and the screw spindle 4 is operated so as to lower the die e, the treadle 6 being simultaneously operated in opposition to the spring ll so as to superimpose the clamping plate b on the blank. In the further movement of the spindle 4, the die e is applied to the blank for shaping the latter. While this is done the treadle is operated for clamping the sides of the 'blank to the die, and the frame 0 is operated feelingly by means of the handle it for regulating the slip of the blank under the frame 0.

Subsequently the trimming of the toe portion is efiected by means of the template as already described.

I claim:

1. A method of shaping shoe uppers which consists in cutting a blank having an excess of material at the toe portion but otherwise of the exact size of the upper, clamping the sides of the exactly dimensioned portion firmly to prevent deformation thereof, clamping the margin of the toe portion yieldingly, pressing said toe portion into shape, and trimming the toe portion to size after the shaping.

2. A device for shaping a shoe upper comprising a female die, a clamping plate hinged to the die and operative to clamp the rear portion of a blank to the die, a clamping frame hinged to said plate and operated to clamp the margin of the toe portion of the blank to the die, a male die adapted to operate through said frame and through a slot in the plate, means for supporting the dies, means for applying mechanical pressure to the plate and to the male die, and a handle on the frame for applying manual pressure to the latter.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means for applying pressure tothe male die comprises a screw spindle and wherein the means for applying pressure to the clamping plate comprises a spring-controlled treadle and rods .connecting said treadle to the plate, and a sliding link connecting the plate with the male die and operative to maintain the plate and frame in a tilted position with raised die.

WALTER KC'JRTING. 

